Russian Easter Bread

This bread is special. We only bake it for easter and it's called Kulich.
It has to be a special shape and we decorate it with icing. But the texture of the bread is lovely, light and sweat. It will great with butter and some jam .

Yo will need:

300 ml milk
7-8 gr dry east
750-800 gr flour
3 eggs
100 gr of sugar
150gr butter
250 gr creme fresh
100gr rasin
100ml cognac

Step 1:

soak raisin in cognac.

Step 2:

warm up the 300 ml of milk till about 40°
C add a small pack of dry east mix well and add 300 gr of flour.
Leave it in warm place fro at least 30 min or till raised.

Step 3:

In a separate bowl; Bit 3 eggs with 100 gr of sugar. Add 150 gr of soft butter, mix well. Add 250 gr of cream fresh. Add this mixture to the first bowl.

Step 4:

Add 450-500gr of flour. The mixture must be slightly sticking to your fingers. Don't overdo with flour or the bread will be too dense and 'heavy'.

Step 5:

Leave in the warm place to raise for 1 hr.

Step 6:

Drain the raisin. DRINK the COGNAC! Add raisin to the dough. Mix well.
Divid the dough in 4 parts, form the bread with your hands and transfer it into the baking forms. The forms can be any shape but the dough should take only half of the form as it will raise a lot.
NOW, you need to be PATIENT, and leave the dough to raise for at least an hour.

Step 7:

Bake at 180°
C for 30-40 min or till it golden.

You don't have to cover it with icing as we do but if you wish, you will need 2 egg whites and 120-150 gr of icing sugar.
In the video I have shown the consistency of icing. Watch it, please.

Good luck and get mad about cooking!